NATIN'ES AND LAHOl K 215 



03,0G9. In general terms we may say that 

 100,000 men from Portuguese East Africa are 

 continually being employed on the Hand. 



This figure represents a large drain upon the 

 manhood and labour strength of the country. 

 Employed in sugar plantations, these men would 

 produce and manufacture 300,000 tons of sugar 

 a year, worth, let us, five millions sterling. 



When we come to examine into the local 

 circumstances we find that the case cannot be 

 80 simply stated, and that as a matter of fact 

 it is very doubtful whether the development of 

 the country is being retarded to any serious extent 

 through this recruiting. The circumstances of 

 Inhambane may be taken as an example. Some 

 35,000 natives of that district are employed on 

 the Rand out of a population of 500,000, that 

 is, 7 per cent. Inhambane is at present the 

 second most progressive district in the Province, 

 but the total number of people in the permanent 

 employ of planters is probably under 1,000. It 

 is absurd to argue that a community that can 

 employ but 0-2 per cent, of its population suffers 

 because 7 per cent, seek employment in another 

 country. It is stated that these men are the best 

 in the land, and no doubt they are among the 

 best, but women and children make good culti- 

 vators of the soil, and these do not go to the 



